Milton Keynes City Council

The Housing Ombudsman is the independent body that investigates complaints about social landlords. When it finds a landlord got things wrong, it makes a finding of "maladministration" — or "severe maladministration" for the most serious failings, or "service failure" for a lesser one.

The 2025/26 performance report. The Ombudsman decided 15 Milton Keynes cases in 2025/26, excluding cases outside its jurisdiction or withdrawn. Its rate counts service failure as well as maladministration: 39 of the 47 findings within its jurisdiction — 19 maladministration and 20 service failure — a rate of 83%.^[3] That compares with a national rate of 62% and 70% for landlords of a similar size and type.^[3] It made no finding of severe maladministration.^[3]

What the findings were about. Repairs was the largest category, with 25 findings and a 76% rate, against 72% nationally and 78% for council landlords. "Managing relations" came next, with 14 findings and an 86% rate, against 57% nationally and 69% for council landlords.^[3] Complaint handling was the most common sub-category, with 13 findings.^[3]

Orders and compensation. The Ombudsman made 63 orders, and records all 63 that fell due in the year as complied with within three months. Compensation ordered or recommended came to £6,375.^[3]

The trend. The Ombudsman's figures put the council's rate at 92% across 6 decided cases in 2023/24, and 84% across 11 in 2024/25.^[3] From October 2025 the Ombudsman examined complaint handling in every case, which it says affects how the 2025/26 rates compare with earlier years.^[5]

A recent repairs decision. In February 2026 the Ombudsman found maladministration in how the council handled an assured tenant's reports of cracks caused by subsidence. It found the council followed its process and repaired the cracks, but had not kept the tenant informed. It said the council "has also not shown it completed works to remedy the cause of the subsidence".^[6] It ordered an apology from a senior member of staff and £275 in compensation.^[6]

“It has also not shown it completed works to remedy the cause of the subsidence and its responses overlooked this aspect.”^[6]

Housing Ombudsman Service, Milton Keynes City Council (202419221) (25 February 2026, 202419221)

The council's response. The council's annual complaints report says the maladministration findings reported in 2025/26 relate to service problems between 2022 and 2024, and that it has since improved complaint handling and service performance.^[7] Decisions the Ombudsman has published since then include failings during 2025, such as slow responses to mould in a secure tenant's home.^[8]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the government body that checks social landlords meet required standards for safe, decent homes. Since 2024 it has been inspecting landlords and giving each one it inspects a consumer grade from C1 (the strongest) to C4.

Milton Keynes has a C2 grade. In a judgement published on 13 May 2026, the regulator gave Milton Keynes City Council a C2, the second-highest grade and the first it had issued for the council.^[1] It followed an inspection completed in May 2026 as part of the regulator's planned inspection programme.^[1]

What the regulator found. It named weaknesses in the Safety and Quality Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.^[1] In particular, it found:

• the council had a physical stock condition survey for around 42% of its homes from the last five years, which it called a weakness the council needs to address
• the council reported that around 96% of its homes meet the Decent Homes Standard, and was meeting its legal health and safety requirements
• the council needs better information about its tenants' diverse needs, and its opportunities for tenants to influence and scrutinise services were mostly less than a year old
• complaints performance, satisfaction and learning from complaints were weaknesses the council needs to improve.^[1]

It found the repairs service meets regulatory requirements.^[1] The regulator said the council "has demonstrated that it understands the issues it needs to address and is already taking action towards rectifying the weaknesses identified."^[1]

“it has demonstrated that it understands the issues it needs to address and is already taking action towards rectifying the weaknesses identified.”^[1]

Regulator of Social Housing, Milton Keynes City Council (00MG) - Regulatory Judgement: 13 May 2026 (13 May 2026)

The council's response. The council said it had invested time and effort over several years to become a better landlord, including an improved repairs service, and that it knows it has more to do. It said its stock condition surveys began in 2025.^[9]

What tenants say about complaints. Among tenants who said they had complained in the last 12 months, 23.0% were satisfied with the council's approach to complaints handling in its 2025/26 survey.^[4]

What the grade means for your home. The grade is about the council's systems across all its homes, not the state of any one home. If your home has damp, mould, a leak or an unfixed repair, your rights are separate and still apply.

Whatever a landlord's track record, its legal duties are the same — and they are strong. The council's repairs and maintenance service is delivered by the contractor Mears, which takes repair reports directly; the council remains the landlord.^[10]

Repairs. Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Milton Keynes City Council must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair — the roof, walls, windows and doors. It must also keep the installations for heating, hot water, gas, electricity, water and sanitation in proper working order. This applies to almost every council tenancy and cannot be signed away in a tenancy agreement.

Fitness for human habitation. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your home must also be fit to live in — free from serious hazards, including damp and mould that could harm your health.

Awaab's Law. Awaab's Law now sets legally binding timescales for social landlords, including councils, to investigate hazards such as damp and mould and make homes safe — the disrepair page sets them out.^[12]

Published repair timescales. The council publishes target times for emergency, priority and routine repairs — the disrepair page lists them.^[10]

Where to report and complain. The disrepair page gives Mears's repairs routes and the council's two-stage complaints process.^[15]